Simulation of Local and Global Atrophy in Alzheimer's Disease Studies

Abstract. We propose a method for atrophy simulation in structural MR images based on finite-element methods, providing data for objective evaluation of atrophy measurement techniques. The modelling of diffuse global and regional atrophy is based on volumetric measurements from patients with known disease and guided by clinical knowledge of the relative pathological involvement of regions. The consequent biomechanical readjustment of structures is modelled using conventional physics-based techniques based on tissue properties and simulating plausible deformations with finite-element methods. Tissue characterization is performed by means of the meshing of a labelled brain atlas, creating a reference volumetric mesh. An example of simulated data is shown and a visual classification protocol has been used by experts to rate real and simulated scans according to their degree of atrophy. First results demonstrate the potential of the proposed methodology.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2006
• Where: MICCAI
• Authors: Oscar Camara-Rey, Martin Schweiger, Rachael I. Scahill, William R. Crum, Julia A. Schnabel, Derek L. G. Hill, Nick C. Fox
• Keywords: Atrophy Measurement Techniques, Atrophy Simulation, Medical Imaging, MICCAI 2006, Regional Atrophy